The constant increase of the world food consumption accompanied by a concomitant reduction of the areas reserved to arable land provoke a raising pressure on the traditional sources of agriculture. Practically, no product escape this trend and, consequently, there is a distinct necessity to have recourse more widely to synthetic reconstitutions which could offer to the consumer not only the advantage of being cheaper but also that of being available at a high quality standard, especially insofar as their flavour characteristics are concerned.
There has been considerable work performed in the flavour industry related to the reconstitution of the characteristic flavour of red-currant type fruits, such as for example strawberries, raspberries, bilberries or cranberries.
Several investigators have described in details the nature of the aroma of certain of these fruits, in particular raspberry [see e.g.: Helv.Chim.Acta, 46, 2297 (1963); idem 43, 1120 (1960); idem 54, 1891 (1971)] and various flavouring compositions destined to confer a raspberry flavour to foodstuffs and beverages are presently commercialized. None of these compositions however possesses the typical fresh and natural character of the aroma of the fruit itself.
Quite unexpectedly, we have discovered that by the utilization of a composition comprising .alpha.-dihydroinonone, a compound of formula ##STR2## in admixture with .alpha.- and .beta.-ionone, it was possible to reproduce faithfully the characteristic aroma and taste of the raspberry fruit.
Moreover, the said composition is perfectly suited to the aromatization of foodstuffs and beverages in general, especially whenever it is desired to impart to said consumable materials a natural taste of berries. Thus, it is possible to confer or enhance gustative notes such as fruity, woody, green, floral or even, in some instances, amber like notes.